Diversity and ecological roles of alginate lyases in marine and human microbial ecosystems.

Acidic polysaccharides such as alginate, a key component of brown algae, have unique properties conferred by their carboxyl groups. Alginate is degraded by alginate lyases, a class of polysaccharide lyases (PLs) that cleave uronic acid glycoside bonds via β-elimination. These enzymes, which are classified into various PL families, differ in structure and substrate specificity but frequently share structural motifs including β-helices, β-jelly rolls, and (α/α)6 barrels coupled with antiparallel β-sheets.

Distribution of Iron Importers and Ecological Traits in Pseudomonas Species Highlights the Potential Role of Efe System in Plant-Related Environments.

Iron is essential for bacterial survival; however, the relationship of Pseudomonas species between iron import systems and environmental adaptation remains poorly understood. Multi-locus sequence and pan-genome analyses using 320 Pseudomonas genomes classified the species into four groups: P. aeruginosa, P.

GAS-J, a User-Friendly Browser Application for Genome Assembly, emm-Typing, MLST Typing, and Virulence Factor Gene Detection of Streptococcus pyogenes.

Clinical isolates of Streptococcus pyogenes are usually classified using emm and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Recently, whole genome sequencing (WGS) has been employed for emm typing and MLST analysis. WGS data provides additional information on the presence of virulence factor genes.

Extracellular Vesicle Inhibitors Enhance Cholix-Induced Cell Death via Regulation of the JNK-Dependent Pathway.

is an important foodborne pathogen. Cholix cytotoxin (Cholix), produced by , is a novel eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) adenosine diphosphate ribosyltransferase that causes host cell death by inhibiting protein synthesis. However, the role of Cholix in the infectious diseases caused by remains unclear.

Decomposition of brown algae in the ocean by microbiota: biological insights for recycling blue carbon.

Brown algae are one of the most abundant biomasses on Earth. To recycle them as blue carbon sources, an effective decomposition system is necessary. This study focused on microorganisms present in seawater that decompose brown algae which contain laminarin and alginate.

Correction: Furugaito et al. Antimicrobial Susceptibility to 27 Drugs and the Molecular Mechanisms of Macrolide, Tetracycline, and Quinolone Resistance in sp. 2023, , 1538.

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...

Effects of quorum sensing-interfering agents, including macrolides and furanone C-30, and an efflux pump inhibitor on nitrosative stress sensitivity in .

Long-term administration of certain macrolides is efficacious in patients with persistent pulmonary infection, despite how limited the clinically achievable concentrations are, being far below their MICs. An increase in the sub-MIC of macrolide exposure-dependent sensitivity to nitrosative stress is a typical characteristic of . However, a few clinical isolates do not respond to sub-MIC of macrolide treatment.

Expression, purification and preliminary crystallographic analysis of bacterial transmembrane protein EfeU for iron import.

The bacterial Efe system functions as an importer of free Fe into cells independently of iron-chelating compounds such as siderophores and consisted of iron-binding protein EfeO, peroxidase EfeB, and transmembrane permease EfeU. While we and other researchers reported crystal structures of EfeO and EfeB, that of EfeU remains undetermined. In this study, we constructed expression system of EfeU derived from Escherichia coli, selected E.

Antimicrobial Susceptibility to 27 Drugs and the Molecular Mechanisms of Macrolide, Tetracycline, and Quinolone Resistance in sp.

is a catalase-negative, facultative anaerobic, Gram-positive coccus that is commensal in humans but can become opportunistic and cause severe infectious diseases, such as infective endocarditis. Few studies have tested the antimicrobial susceptibility of . We tested its antimicrobial susceptibility to 27 drugs and defined the resistant genes using PCR in 58 strains, including 52 clinical isolates and six type strains.

A multilocus sequence typing method of Staphylococcus aureus DNAs in a sample from human skin.

The skin and mucous membranes are the primary sites of Staphylococcus aureus colonization, particularly those of health care personnel and patients in long-term care centers. We found that S. aureus colonized with a higher abundance ratio on skins which had recovered from pressure injury (PI) than on normal skins in our earlier research on the skin microbiota of bedridden patients.

Oral microbiome changes associated with the menstrual cycle in healthy young adult females.

The relationship between the menstrual cycle and the oral microbiome has not been clarified. The purpose of this study was to assess potential changes in the oral microbiome of healthy young adults using 16S rRNA-based sequencing. Eleven females (aged 23-36 years) with stable menstrual cycles and without any oral problems were recruited.

Potential biomarker proteins for aspiration pneumonia detected by shotgun proteomics using buccal mucosa samples: a cross-sectional case-control study.

Background: Aspiration pneumonia (AP), which is a major cause of death in the elderly, does present with typical symptoms in the early stages of onset, thus it is difficult to detect and treat at an early stage. In this study, we identified biomarkers that are useful for the detection of AP and focused on salivary proteins, which may be collected non-invasively. Because expectorating saliva is often difficult for elderly people, we collected salivary proteins from the buccal mucosa.

Impact of gut microbiome on dyslipidemia in japanese adults: Assessment of the Shika-machi super preventive health examination results for causal inference.

Dyslipidemia (DL) is one of the most common lifestyle-related diseases. There are few reports showing the causal relationship between gut microbiota (GM) and DL. In the present study, we used a linear non-Gaussian acyclic model (LiNGAM) to evaluate the causal relationship between GM and DL.

Interspecies Regulation Between and Colonized on Healed Skin After Injury.

spp. colonize commensally on the human skin. Some commensal coagulase-negative staphylococci and are also involved in nosocomial infections.

Predominance of ST8 and CC1/spa-t1784 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates in Japan and their genomic characteristics.

Objectives: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become a serious epidemiologic problem worldwide. In this study, we aimed to investigate recently isolated MRSA types and determine their characteristics.

Methods: We collected 164 strains isolated from 13 hospitals located in Tokyo and surrounding prefectures.

Amplicon-based skin microbiome profiles collected by tape stripping with different adhesive film dressings: a comparative study.

Background: Medical film dressings have been used to obtain skin microbiota for skin microbiome studies, although their adhesive force may be so strong that the skin could be injured when applied to those who have fragile skin, such as older people. Several products with less adhesive force are available, although their applicability for skin microbiome studies remains unknown. This study aimed to test whether the dressings with less adhesive force could be used for amplicon-based skin microbiome studies.

Comparative genome analysis of three Group A subsp. strains isolated in Japan.

(SDSE) is a β-hemolytic streptococcus that causes severe invasive streptococcal infections, especially in the elderly and people with underlying diseases. SDSE strains are primarily characterized by Lancefield group G or C antigens. We have previously reported the prevalence of Lancefield group A SDSE (GA-SDSE) strains in Japan and have analysed the draft genome sequences of these strains.

Gravity magnetic resonance imaging measurement of muscle pump change accompanied by aging and posture.

Aim: To date no age-comparative study has been reported about effect of exercise on muscle pump action change, while its effect is suggested to differ in ages. This study aims to clarify the changes in muscle pump action with aging by measuring the muscle and vein area, and blood flow in lower legs.

Methods: Subjects were healthy volunteers and consisted of three groups: young age group (N = 20), middle age group (N = 20) and old age group (N = 16).